Thomas Mudge (1715-1794), English clockmaker. Mudge, born in Exeter, served his apprenticeship with the respected horologist George Graham. By the age of 23, he was a member of the Clockmakers Company (the guild of clockmakers), and by 1751, on Graham's death, he had taken over his business. Mudge's most famous watch was made in 1759 for King George III. It could compensate for changes in temperatures, and used a mechanism known as the lever escapement, a design that was to become standard for watches. From 1765, Mudge designed marine chronometers that were used by many of the leading astronomers of the day, as well as navigators.